cheval glass

Tomlin vs. the Laurie Berkner Band

I purchased the New Laurie Berkner CD last week...Sydney and I are huge fans and we used to be Upper West Side neighbors with her in NYC.  The week before we moved, we attended her concert and it was awesome. I was very excited to get the new CD and we went to Walmart (I was going to download it, but Syd likes the packaging.) We get it in the CD player and the van is rocking! It is a terrific album.  Later that day, we are driving around and Sydney says, "I want to hear the 'Sing' song."  I said, " Are you sure?  This is so great!" She said, "The 'Sing' song is my favorite!"  So Chris, you win over the Laurie Berkner Band! "Sing Sing Sing" beats "Rocketship Run"

Do your kids have favorite songs that surprise you?

(This post is a part of Watercooler Wednesday. Join us!)

Boss or leader?

I love leadership books.  I love reading blogs or really anything that helps me become a better and more effective leader.  I have been blessed in my life to have some truly tremendous leaders pour into my life and I feel a great responsibility to share their investment in my life with the team around me. My hubby e-mailed me this link today and I loved this comparison between a boss and a leader.

1. A boss may 'tell' but a leader will 'coach'.
2. A boss tries to rule by force and fear but a leader will encourage, motivate and gain  trust. 
3. The boss focuses on his or her own needs saying 'I'. The leader considers others and uses 'we'.
4. A boss cultivates a blame culture whilst the leader looks for solutions and expects mistakes.
5. The boss can tell you what should be done and how to do it but offers no help. The leader tends to show a person how to do it.

CLICK HERE to read more...

Do you have tendencies to be a boss or a leader?

Not right now

Our Island campus staff made a big decision...we are not going to add another service right now. We feel confident about the times we have chosen (9:30 and 11) but none of us have peace about pulling the trigger right now. It was a really cool moment as Todd (my hubby and Campus Pastor) asked Barb and I what we were sensing from God.  We were all in agreement and felt God was saying,"Not right now." I've been at this juncture so many times in the 4 previous churches I have served with adding services. Sometimes, we went for it and it was a disaster.  Sometimes we went for it and it was a success. Have you ever felt God tell you to wait on a big decision?  How did you handle it?

Obama/McCain forum at Saddleback

It didn't change my mind about either candidate. Pastor Rick did a great job of asking questions that we will probably never hear asked quite like that. Obama was definitely more personable and much more of a conversationalist.  McCain started stumping at times, but then he would surprise me - like the answer about his 1st marriage being his greatest moral failure. Obama represents the new generation of leadership - more focused on what we agree on, not necessarily showing all his cards on everything. McCain is from a generation of fighters - you know where he stands and he will fight you to prove it. America clearly has 2 different choices.  Their answers may have been similar at times, but how they will lead this country is vastly different.

Beijing Olympics - Most artistic ever?

  Is it just me or has this Olympics brought out the artistic and creative soul of culture more than any other Olympics? I have really enjoyed NBC's spotlight pieces on Chinese artists and the culture in China as it has influenced the games. I look forward to those pieces sometimes more than the games themselves (except when Phelps is in the pool). The hardships of this culture have strengthened and purified their art in ways we cannot understand in a free society. Some of their artists who have played key roles in the artistic design of the Olympics have at one time been imprisoned by their own country for their art.  What does art do that makes regimes fear it? Tell me what you think.

Daughters

I have 2 younger sisters and we have 6 kids between us -  all between the ages of 6 and 18 months. We have gathered for the 1st time with all 6 at my younger sisters house in Jupiter, FL for a few days before the kids go back to school next week. We keep looking at each other and saying, "Where did all these kids come from?" We each have a first born daughter and they are now at that age where we can do mom/daughter trips. So, we ventured to the Magic Kingdom with just the girls (the boys stayed with Grandma and Grandpa).  It was an enchanting day that could not have been more delightful (in spite of the 90 degree heat!).  I kept watching our daughters interact and I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for God blessing me and my sisters with a daughter each. My sisters and I are close and it is so thrilling to see how much our daughters love each other. I just wanted to put it in a bottle and keep it forever (so I took pictures and video like crazy!) There are so many times in life that we don't capture the moment and make time to smell the roses.  I'm so glad I did this week.

"We may look old and wise to the outside world.  But to each other, we are still in junior school."  ~Charlotte Gray

Admit it and move on

Being the Sorkin fan I am, I was very disappointed when Studio 60 got canceled last year. I had so many engaging conversations about Christianity and Hollywood BECAUSE of that show when I lived in NYC with people who respected the writing and were intrigued with the storyline.  When Sorkin was asked about it, he just came out and said "Our show failed in a big way."  Here's an excerpt...

"I don't know how to emphasize this enough that I'm not disappointed or upset with anyone but myself. There are only two possible reasons for 'Studio 60' failing -- it was either my fault or it was just one of those things. On some shows, you can make mistakes and still survive. But with this one, I made too many mistakes for it to survive." CLICK HERE to read more...

Am I willing to look the world in they eye and say, "I messed up!" ? I believe when I am able to admit my creative shortcomings and move on to new creative ideas, I truly "get" the creative process.

Is this hard for you or is it just me?

My Mac is sick

She is going to the hospital.  We don't know what is wrong, but hopefully she will feel better soon (Mac people know how I am feeling right now). I did lyrics for our service in POWERPOINT (is this 1998?). Our video computer for church is my Mac right now - I use ProPresenter. Good thing a black background and white text looks cool.  Todd is trying to convince me how cool is Windows Vista PC Notebook is to my MacBook Pro...what do you think?

Opening Ceremonies

There were moments I was in awe and really without words, and then the next minute I was so intimidated, almost fearful.  There was so much to take in that I'm leaving it on my DVR for awhile to watch again. My favorite artistic nuance of Director Zhang Yimou was the power of thousands in contrast to the 1. Maybe it stemmed from his own life...

"One of his[Zhang Yimou] favourite stories is how, at the age of 23 at the end of the Cultural Revolution, he donated his own blood in return for money to raise the $20 needed to buy his first camera. He insists that the experience of his early life and memories of the country's recent turbulent history remain a defining characteristic in his work." CLICK HERE to read more.

The largest LCD screen in the world? I know some Programming Director somewhere in some church is pricing that out right now:)

LCC-HHI Creatives - Joel Patrick

I love my team. Our church campus is 11 months old and I have already discovered the most AMAZING group of creatives to journey with me here on the Island. In the next few months, I will be spotlighting my teammates and and their creativity.

Joel Patrick has been playing Lumiere in the Main Street Youth Theater's Production of "Beauty and the Beast" for the last month.  He was awesome!  I think I laughed aloud more than I was supposed to. He just bought a green screen for his video company (he is in high school) and we are using it to film some pieces for our upcoming MIssion Message Series. He is a video editor, director, photographer, runs video for our services, and his entire family is artistic...well, I don't know about Andy (old yeller?). Joe brings a young and energetic flare to our team and I cannot wait to see how his creative energy will change the world.